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Journalism of Courage
The University Grants Commission (UGC) in a notice to students, parents, and the general public has warned about fake degrees being offered by unauthorised institutions. The Commission has stated that some institutions are violating the UGC Act by offering degrees illegally.
According to the UGC, only universities and institutions established under a State Act, Central Act, or Provincial Act, or those specifically empowered to confer degrees under the UGC Act, 1956, are authorized to award degrees. Any degrees issued by unrecognized institutions will not be valid for higher education or employment.
The official notice highlighted that several institutions are granting degrees without proper authorization. “It has come to the notice of UGC that a number of institutions are offering degrees in contradiction to the provisions of the UGC Act. Degrees awarded by such institutions shall neither be recognized nor valid for higher education and employment purposes,” the notice stated.
Government action against fake universities
In February, Minister of State for Education Dr Sukanta Majumdar informed the Lok Sabha that 21 educational institutions were listed as fake universities on the UGC’s official website. When asked whether these universities were officially declared “fake” and what actions were being taken, the minister explained that maintaining law and order is a responsibility of state governments. As a result, the central government has urged all state Chief Secretaries and Union Territory administrators to take legal steps to shut down these institutions and take strict action against those deceiving students. Since 2014, 12 fake universities have been closed as part of these efforts.
Below is the list of institutions declared fake by the UGC:
| State | University Name |
| Andhra Pradesh | Christ New Testament Deemed University, Guntur |
| Bible Open University of India, Visakhapatnam | |
| Delhi | All India Institute of Public & Physical Health Sciences (AIIPHS) |
| Commercial University Ltd., Daryaganj | |
| United Nations University | |
| Vocational University | |
| ADR-Centric Juridical University | |
| Indian Institute of Science and Engineering | |
| Viswakarma Open University for Self-Employment | |
| Adhyatmik Vishwavidyalaya (Spiritual University) | |
| Karnataka | Badaganvi Sarkar World Open University Education Society |
| Kerala | St. John’s University, Kishanattam |
| International Islamic University of Prophetic Medicine (IIUPM), Kozhikode | |
| Maharashtra | Raja Arabic University, Nagpur |
| Puducherry | Sree Bodhi Academy of Higher Education |
| Uttar Pradesh | Gandhi Hindi Vidyapith, Prayagraj |
| Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose University (Open University), Aligarh | |
| Bhartiya Shiksha Parishad, Lucknow | |
| Mahamaya Technical University, Noida | |
| West Bengal | Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine, Kolkata |
| Institute of Alternative Medicine and Research, Kolkata |
To prevent students from falling into the trap of fake universities, the UGC has been issuing public notices through its official website and social media platforms. In addition, the government has filed FIRs against self-proclaimed universities and issued show-cause or warning notices to unauthorized institutions granting invalid degrees.
Students are advised to verify the accreditation status of any university before enrolling to ensure their degree holds value for future education and employment.
